WebSphere Commerce

IBM has announced the release of new enhancements to WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0 which enables companies to provide a rich, customer-centric experience across multiple channels and touchpoints. WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0 Feature Pack 1 enhancements enable you to:

• NEW! Extend brand experiences to third-party Web sites, including social networking sites, for marketing and promotional purposes
• NEW! Allow shoppers to share their "favorites" list and gift registry in social networking sites
• NEW! Manage the promotion and redemption of digital coupons in a Web store and via mobile devices
• NEW! Launch localized web stores in China and Brazil, customized to each market with support local payment methods
• NEW! Update product information easily using comma separated values (CSV) files with the improved out-of-the-box catalog management solution
• NEW! Extend the WebSphere Commerce cache to a high performance, network-attached elastic cache with WebSphere eXtreme Scale integration
• NEW! Reduce Total Cost of Implementation (TCOI) with simplified order processing sub-system, starter store HTML/CSS scripts that accelerate the design phase, and data load tools to load catalog, pricing, and inventory information into WebSphere Commerce workspaces
• Design and execute a differentiated brand experience by recognizing and responding to customer interactions across multiple channels and touch points
• Build a dialogue with the shopper by delivering contextual targeted marketing information to shoppers
• Support automated, one-to-one ongoing dialogs with shoppers based on preference, purchase history, and shopping behavior
• Support mobile devices for browsing the catalog, receiving marketing messages, promotions, coupon codes, and completing transactions
• Integrate product review & ratings, blogs, photo galleries, and user profiles into your online store
• Provide rich, streamlined and B2C-like experience to B2B e-commerce sites
• Enable peak performance and process higher transaction volume while minimizing cost
• Reduce the cost of operation and deployment
• Accelerate the integration with e-commerce ecosystem

To help customers achieve the above benefits, WebSphere Commerce provides the following enhancements:

• NEW! Remote widgets allow retailers to offer and centrally manage marketing information and promotions outside of retailer's own site
• NEW! Digital coupons allow retailers to manage the promotion and redemption of digital coupons in a Web store and via mobile, store digital coupons in an
• NEW! Localized web stores in China and Brazil customized to each market with support local payment methods
• NEW! Improved business user tools with the ability to easily update product data using comma separated values (CSV) files and support for automated SKU generation
• NEW! Support for installment payments and payment-type driven promotions
• NEW! Revised order processing subsystem simplifies and reduces customization effort, improves programming interfaces, and provides easy extension points for most common extension scenarios.
• NEW! Data load tools now allow for efficient loading of catalog, pricing, and inventory information into WebSphere Commerce workspaces.
• NEW! HTML asset supplies a robust set of HTML and CSS wire-frames that implement complete shopping flows in the Madisons and Elite starter stores, and can be used to accelerate the design phase of most projects.
• NEW! WebSphere eXtreme Scale integration extends the WebSphere Commerce cache to a high performance, network-attached elastic cache with no custom development.
• Precision Marketing engine to capture customer triggers (e.g. abandoned shop cart, mobile interaction, social participation) across channels and respond with a wide range of actions (e.g. promotions, mobile coupons, loyalty rewards) that goes far beyond just the web.
• Dialog Activity Builder for business users to compose and execute automated one-to-one dialog with shoppers using triggers and actions.
• Automated, one-to-one ongoing interactions with shoppers based on preference, purchase history, and shopping behavior.
• Mobile store model optimized for smartphones including iPhone and Blackberry to provide end-to-end shopping flow including stock locator, store locator, and buy on mobile and pick up in-store.
• Support product ratings and reviews, blogs, photo galleries, and user profiles into the shopping flow by integrating with 3rd party vendors.
• New B2B Starter store leveraging Web 2.0 best practices to deliver rich experience, buyer-centric marketing and operational automation.
• Enhanced business user tools to create and manage dynamic customer segments and e-marketing spots.
• New data load tools allow for efficient loading for catalog, pricing, and inventory information.
• Web analytics integration framework for consistent integration with third-party web analytics vendors.
• Latest software stack of IBM WebSphere Application Server V7 and DB2 9.5 for improved performance.
• A set of standardized services to quickly and easily integrate WebSphere Commerce with existing back office infrastructure and 3rd party solutions.